Sparky191

"I looked for many hours".... seriously, and you found nothing. What on earth were you doing????? Maybe you just don't understand any of it. Did a search on google for "NH-1" and the very first link is this one. http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MZ-NH1.html Under connectors its says In: line, mic, optical. Data: USB. Out: line/headphone. # Records to Hi-MD (1GB) blanks and normal MD blanks reformatted to 300MB. # Plays Hi-MD and original-MD disks. I did a google search on "NH-1 line-in" the very first link is this one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...2931965-0519116 Record from multiple sources: USB-in / Mic-in / Analogue-in / Digital-in USB-in (USB 1.1), Digital-in, Analogue-in, MIC-in, DC-in 6V (on cradle only) and Line-out function I did a search on "NH-1 line out and got this. http://forums.minidisc.org/lofiversion/index.php/t10343.html That took 3 mins.

Sorry guys, I didn't see that, and it just confused the heck outta me.

Well over on Head-Fi, theres loads of Audiophiles who used to be MD users. Some still have players but generally they've moved on to MP3 players using FLAC, High bitrate MP3's or Lossless though a HDD player, often through a line out and a portable amp. As for power consumption. I would assume it would depend on how effecient the DSP is on the unit. Theres been a few discussions on Head-Fi about different encodings, really effecting the battery life of HDD units. Either because they exceed the cache, requiring HD access. Or they simply require more effort to decode. Thus requiring more energy. If the encoding/decoding is hardwired on a DSP and if the design of the DSP is energy efficent, then its possible that some bitrates are more enery efficient than others. I have a vague memory of people testing this out on Sony Mp3 HDD players, PCDP and iPods. Though I have no links to point you to. The tests concluded that ATRAC was more energy effcient than MP3, and low bitrates better. VBR being worse than CBR. But to be honest theres no way of know that Sony didn't make MP3's especially energy inefficent on their devices. Like they fiddled with the EQ on the 2nd gen HiMD units.

Well thats a confusing post. If your international that would make sense, since batteries are holding it up. But Sefu said that theres no international orders, so that would suggest your in AUS. If so why did you get it without a battery? How much is a battery for a NH1 anyway?

I like Kylie, but I like Dannii's music better. She does a lot of more dance like stuff. Whereas Kylie is pure pop.

Well we only just found out about 352kps. So hardly anyone will have tried it yet. I've only tried it on one HiMD so far. Otherwise I would have voted, HiSP. But I reckon I'll be using 352kps more so I voted for that. I use PCM and HiSP for recording, and HiSP/352 for playback.

You could make a movie from that story...

If Sony can't be bothered to promote the format why wail on a poor low end sales clerk.

My cassette walkman died, and a guy at work was selling a Old Sharp Sr75 MD unit. He practically gave it to me. So I tried it and loved the sound. It has fantastic BASS. That was about 4yrs ago and the unit is still working. I'm don't use it now, as I have a HiMD.

I have read where combining tracks before transfering to the PC has caused problems for people. Personally I've never had a problem with it. While I do, do that sometimes, I actually meant the time stamp setting. Which AFAIK changes the intervals at which a time stamp is automatically inserted. So instead of 3 mins intervals I have it set to 20 mins etc. I can't remember exactly.

Recording my old cassettes and some live stuff and other sources.

My bitrates are creeping up. I'm using HiSP or 352kps most of the time now.

Is it just me or is there a lot of new MD/HiMD members and/or MD owners appearing on the forum lately?

A NH600 or RH710 makes the most sense. If you can get a NetMD for €40 with a bunch of disks and assesories then maybe its would be ok. I've bought 3 used MD over the years. One has lasted for 3 yrs. The other a year but it sometimes doesn't read disks, which is a sign its about to fail. The last one a HiMD I've only for a few months, but is ok so far. However if you are on a tight budget you can also get a new portable CD (full sized) which would have a warranty. Something to consider.

No quality degradations. But you have to use SonicStage. The latest versions are ok. Not perfect, but it will get the job done. Transfers are slow. But you don't have to wait around. My understanding is that the 1st gen HiMD NH600/700/900/NH1 can also record on a ordinary MD (non HiMD) in SP/SP2/SP4 and in HiMD PCM/HiSP/HiLP. The 2nd gen HiMD RH10/RH910/RH710 can only use HiMD and PCM/HiSP/HiLP.

If all you are looking for is a player then there are probably better MP3 players. I can understand the attraction of the gadgety MD though. If you don't want to use a music manager or drivers, Consider a iRiver, or Cowon device. They don't need drivers.

No but planning to soon. I ABX'ed PCM and HiSP when I first got a HiMD unit. I could hear a difference but I didn't think it was enough of a difference for use on a portable player. For some recordings yes. 352kps I would expect to fail between the two. I'm listening to some 352kps on my HiMD at the moment. On some albums you can definately hear the difference compared HiSP. On others you can't. I've read that many CD's aren't very good quality to begin with. How CD's are orginally recorded, mixed and mastered can make all the difference. As I listen to better bitrates, and better encodings. Especially of my fav albums and tracks that I know well. You start to notice the "good" CD's.

Actually its very easy. You can have a fire in your house or someone could rob your MD's. A friend of mine lost about about 300 CD's and about 400 cassettes in a single break in. A collection he had built through school and college, and travelling as a student. I know another person, who when moving apartment left all their CD's (in one of those 200 CD wallets) on the bus!!!. You should tell that to all those people using disk arrays, RAID, and the hundreds of thousands of HD based backup systems out there. However to argue that MD are more reliable storage, in the scenerio of SonicStage, and storing you music and recordings. But have no easy way to backup them up. Well that doesn't make sense to me. You hope that MD don't fail, but the truth is most people don't have their a backup of their MDs. Yet are critically of HDD players which are easily backed up. The essential point a HDD player is by default backed up, as it has been filled from another source, a HD by default. So the music is stored in two places. So even if you drive over your HDD player. . You could argue that the same is true for MD + SonicStage. Of course everyone has their original CD's. However that doesn't help you rebuild your library, and if you lots of recordings like me, theres simply no CD's, other than those I've made myself. But MD users over the world know that a SS library is fragile thing. Personally I don't have the time to keep rebuilding it. Currently I have about 80GBs in my digital music library, most of that is recordings. I choose to back that up. Only takes about 10mins for an incremental backup to a couple of external drives. If I used HiMD at 1.1 it would take weeks. SQ is subjective. MD is good, which I why I've used it for years. Most people here rave about SP. But most people have been listening to SP (292kps). We now have PCM and 352kps. However Lossless, Flac, and high bitrates have been available for quite a while on a few MP3 players. Yes many would claim that SP and even HiLP or LP2 is better, than these MP3 players. I'm sure they believe it...

MD/HiMD are tied to SonicStage. Which doesn't work on a Mac. Sorry. Theres is a mac HiMD but I think that only allows you to upload not download tracks.

I think its pretty hard to keep a 24-bit path unless you use pro gear. I also doubt that you hear the difference unless you've decent source, amp and speakers, all in the right enviroment. Oh and the right pair of ears. I lack the latter myself.

The original post asked specifically about SQ. Not recording. I'm not going to take seriously a comment that 320kps MP3 is the same as LP2. Thats just inane. As is claiming 48kbps sounds fantastic. Only if your used to mono over LW maybe. HD fail. MD fail. You have a backup. Its easier to backup a HD than 200 MDs. If you don't have a backup policy, well thats smart isn't it. Personally in over 10yrs of working in IT my experience is HD failures are very rare. Losing SonicStage libraries is more comment. What is a bigger problem is user error and you need to recover deleted data. Losing recording from transfers and user error is also an issue for MD. If you're thinking having more media rather than less is more convient, why not use MD singles instead of albums. You're trying to convince me the world is flat. Look at Television, TIVO, TV-HD recorders. You telling me having a load of VHS tapes is being better organised. Pull the other one, its got (xmas) bells on it. I don't like iTunes or an iPod, though I do use a iPod Shuffle. If you are trying to tell me they are hard to use, then I can't agree. The UI and controls of MD's, the units themselves and SS have always been convoluted to use. Well I welcome some lively debate on the benefits of MD/HiMD you won't persuade me that MD is without considerable flaws. The usual concensus around here is buy a MD/HiMD if you also want a recorder and a player, but buy a Mp3 player if you only want a player. I'd say that appropriate for the majority of people. Not all granted. Which is why we're here and not on the iPod Lounge. Some of us have both HiMD and MP3 players. SQ is only an issue on some MP3 players and only if you don't use the right encodings. Even a iPod which has poor SQ through the hearphone, is regarded as fantastic through a line out and lossless or high bitrate ACC. Most audiophiles would also use a portable Amp. Personally I reckon the iPod Shuffle, and Zen Micro are as great sounding as my MD and HiMD units. The Shuffle is subjectively marginaly better. Even using 352 and PCM. Maybe you'd notice the difference with better earphones than I use. Senns Mx500's and Pana HJE50's.

Tinny and weak bass is a symptom of not having a good fit/seal with in ear earphones.

Hence the "+" Whats the link between A/52/AC3 and ATRAC?

I think the argument that you're not limited because you can add disks is bogus. You are limited because no one wants to carry 2 never mind 20 disks around with them. Equally storing your music on one disk (like a HD) is easier than storing it across multiple disks. Otherwise you'd use MD disks instead of HiMD disks and that just doesn't make sense. The only people who want one disk = one album are technophobes and people with legacy MD gear. (SP car and HiFi decks). Its noticeable that a lot of MD/HiMD users also use a MP3 player aswell. Myself included.

Personally I don't keep my music in Sonic Stage. I just import the tracks/albums to SonicStage when I want to transfer it to HiMD. I keep my music in a seperate and simple directory structure on my external HD. I backup this dir to another drive. I stopped using music managers as they are all proprietary, and are not compatible with one another. I have a Zen Micro, iPod shuffle and HiMD. Each one uses a different manager. I do the same with iTunes. I only import the tracks I want to transfer to the Shuffle. Thankfully the Zen doesn't need a manager since the last firmware update. I reckon online music stores offer poor value for money. Limited bitrates, and hobbled by DRM. Better value buying used CD's.